英语听力精选进阶版 6435

Is technology going too far? I think much of it is now used to keep an eye on our every movement and to listen in on our every thought. The other day I walked into a shop and was faced by a TV screen enticing¹ me with details of a special promotion² for the brand and design of shoe I was about to go and buy. How did they know?

This hasn't actually happened yet but it could be the situation soon when advertising³ companies start to use face recognition technology. We are already faced with targeted adverts⁴ when we use our computers. These are based on our web browsing⁵ history. But this kind of surveillance is creeping into our off-line life. Facial recognition cameras are already being fitted to billboard⁶ screens so that advertising companies can monitor the sort of people viewing commercials at each location.

I often stare at these TV screens when I'm waiting in a queue at a shop - there is not much else to look at - but it is scary to think that the screen might be looking back at me and analysing my traits. It will, for example, work out my age and sex. I would be insulted if it got it wrong!

Amscreen, one of the companies rolling out this technology, claims more than 50 million people around the world are seeing its screens each week in places like doctors' waiting rooms, airports and petrol stations. They can be very powerful marketing⁷ tools.

The fashion brand, Burberry, is trialling another type of technology. When customers wearing its clothes stand in front of "magic mirrors" - screens start showing footage of how the clothes looked on the catwalk when modelled with other Burberry goods. It seems we will have nowhere to hide from these marketing spies!

Campaigners are warning there must be limits and that our privacy must be protected. Big Brother Watch is a group that fights to protect privacy. Its director, Nick Pickles⁸, says: "Are we willing to accept our everyday movements being monitored and analysed, not to keep us safe but purely⁹ to allow advertisers to target us? I think people will start to say no, our privacy is worth more than a few advertising dollars."

Hopefully this new technology will just be a short-lived marketing gimmick¹⁰. If not, I will choose where I shop and make up my own mind about what I buy.

Quiz 测验

1. What phrase did the author use to mean 'to spy on' or 'to watch'?

To keep an eye on.

2. What do we sometimes see when we are looking at webpages on a computer?

Targeted advertising.

3. Is this statement true or false? Advertising screens can work out what kind of person you are and what you might like to buy.

True.

4. How much does one campaigner think our privacy is worth?

More than a few dollars.

5. Does the author hope face recognition technology in shops will be used for a long time?

No. The author hopes it will be a short-lived gimmick.

Glossary 词汇表

to keep an eye on 盯梢

enticing （动词）吸引，诱惑

promotion 促销宣传

brand 品牌

advertising companies 广告公司

targeted 有针对性的

surveillance 监视

billboard screens 广告牌屏

commercials 商业广告

traits 特征

rolling out 全面推出

marketing tools 市场营销工具

footage 镜头片断

catwalk （时装表演）T型台

privacy 个人隐私

gimmick 把戏，花招

1 enticing   

adj.迷人的；诱人的

参考例句：

• The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力，使人难以拒绝。
• Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing. 她的脖子短，但浑圆可爱；两臂丰腴，也很动人。

2 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

3 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

4 adverts   

advertisements 广告，做广告

参考例句：

• the adverts on television 电视广告
• The adverts are not very informative. 这些广告并没有包含太多有用信息。

5 browsing   

v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息

参考例句：

• He sits browsing over[through] a book. 他坐着翻阅书籍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Cattle is browsing in the field. 牛正在田里吃草。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 billboard   

n.布告板，揭示栏，广告牌

参考例句：

• He ploughed his energies into his father's billboard business.他把精力投入到父亲的广告牌业务中。
• Billboard spreads will be simpler and more eye-catching.广告牌广告会比较简单且更引人注目。

7 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

8 pickles   

n.腌菜( pickle的名词复数 )；处于困境；遇到麻烦；菜酱

参考例句：

• Most people eat pickles at breakfast. 大多数人早餐吃腌菜。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I want their pickles and wines, and that.' 我要他们的泡菜、美酒和所有其他东西。” 来自英汉文学 - 金银岛

9 purely   

adv.纯粹地，完全地

参考例句：

• I helped him purely and simply out of friendship.我帮他纯粹是出于友情。
• This disproves the theory that children are purely imitative.这证明认为儿童只会单纯地模仿的理论是站不住脚的。

10 gimmick   

n.(为引人注意而搞的)小革新，小发明

参考例句：

• He dismissed the event as just a publicity gimmick.他不理会这件事，只当它是一种宣传手法。
• It is just a public relations gimmick.这只不过是一种公关伎俩。